‘Gunfight’ is not solution: TIB

Transparency International Bangladesh has expressed grave concern over the deaths of over hundred ‘drug dealers’ in the countrywide anti-narcotic drive, reports The Daily Prothom-Alo.

According to the reports, the anti-corruption watchdog also demanded judicial investigation into the deaths.

It said that the explanation given by the law-enforcement forces on the ‘gunfight’ is questionable.

The organisation made the demand in a statement issued on Thursday.

It said that there is fear of protecting constitutional rights of the citizens as using excessive force is getting support from the government. It said that this is creating risk of institutionalising the use of excessive force by the law enforcement.

“The constitution preserves the rights for every citizen to justice. There is a question as to whether the on-going anti-narcotic drive based on the list prepared by so-called intelligence information is acceptable legally or not. Besides, before being convicted under the legal process, the way the listed people are being killed is completely unconstitutional,” TIB executive director Iftekharuzzaman said in a statement.

He said that there are some allegations that innocent people become victims of vindictiveness.

The TIB executive director said that gunfight has not been proved an effective way anywhere in the world to control narcotics or any other crime.

“The way the culture of using excessive force, bypassing the existing laws is getting patronage can be a threat to the human rights situation of the country,” he said.

He said that the way the law enforcement agencies are given licence to violate laws, it is a bad signal for justice, the rule of law and democracy of the country.

At least 130 people were killed and thousands detained in the last two weeks in a countrywide anti-narcotics crackdown. Law enforcement officials said that all who have been killed are drug dealers and they were killed in gunfights.